Present Title & Affiliation

Primary Appointment

Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology, Division of OVP, Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX

Dual/Joint/Adjunct Appointment

Assistant Professor, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX

Research Interests

My research aims to identify broadly modifiable diet and lifestyle risk factors for both common and poorly understood cancers. As a nutritional epidemiologist, the primary focus of my work has been the role of diet in cancer etiology, but has extended to other relevant areas, including obesity, physical activity, diabetes, hypertension, and lipid metabolism, to achieve a more comprehensive view of the chronic disease process. In addition to population-based research, I have participated in nearly every aspect of scientific research, from the lab to the clinic. This has significantly enriched my career as an epidemiologist and I strive to address etiologic hypotheses from every angle, considering the biological mechanisms, as well as clinical and public health applications. My research interests include (1) the role of diet, chronic conditions, energy balance, and inflammation in cancer risk and survival; (2) dietary assessment methodology; (3) international and minority populations where new and unique modifiable risk factors may be identified; and (4) the etiology of cancers of the kidney and digestive system.